The Resurrection Changes Everything - DJ Dickerson - 4/5/26

There are moments in life that change

everything.

A phone call can change everything.

A diagnosis, a wedding, the birth of a

child,

a tragedy,

all of these can change everything.

There are moments after which life is

never quite the same again.

But above every event in human history,

there is one event that truly changed

everything forever.

And that is what we've been singing

about this morning, and that is the

resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If you traveled the world, you could

visit the graves of kings,

prophets, generals, rulers,

philosophers, religious leaders. But

when you come to Jesus, the testimony of

scripture is clear that the tomb is

empty. The angel declared, as we saw in

our scripture reading this morning in

Matthew 28:es 5 and 6, the angel

answered and said to the woman, the

women, "Do not be afraid, for I know

that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here, for he is risen as he

said, come see the place where the Lord

lay." And Luke records in the account of

Luke 24:es 5-7. Then as they were afraid

and bowed their face to the earth, they

said to them, "Why do you seek the

living among the dead? He is not here,

but is risen. Remember how he spoke to

you when he was still in Galilee,

saying, "The Son of Man must be

delivered into the hands of sinful men

and be crucified and the third day rise

again." friends, because the tomb is

empty, the resurrection changes

everything.

And that's the message at the heart of 1

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 15. I want to

encourage you to go to 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15 with me this morning. We're

going to spend the majority of our time

obviously in this passage. This is our

text for our lesson this morning. 1

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 15. There's a lot to

cover, so I'm going to get right in to

it because Paul is writing to the

Christians. They had heard the gospel.

They had received the gospel and they

stood in the gospel. That's what you see

in the beginning verses there in verse

one that we're about to look at. But

yet, as you go on through this chapter

and as we will notice that some among

them, they had begun to deny the

resurrection of the dead.

Now understand that was not a minor

misunderstanding because that struck at

the heart of the faith itself.

If you tamper with the resurrection,

you do not merely weaken,

you unravel the gospel.

So the question before us is not simply,

do you believe in Jesus?

Many claim that that. Well, yeah, I

believe in Jesus.

The deeper question that I'm posing this

morning is this. Do you believe that

Jesus Christ died for our sins, was

buried, and rose again the third day

according to the scriptures.

Because if he did, and he did,

the resurrection changes

everything.

Let me give you the first one. What

Paul's talking about here, the

resurrection changes the message that we

preach,

the message we teach. 1 Corinthians 15,

look at verses 1 and two. Prove all

things according to God's word, not DJs.

Look at it for yourselves. Paul said,

"Moreover, brethren, I declare to you

the gospel which I preached to you,

which also you received, and which you

stand, by which you also you are saved,

if you hold fast that word which I

believe, which I preached to you, unless

you believed in vain."

It is striking that Paul reminds

Christians of the gospel because

sometimes we treat the gospel like it's

only for the lost.

Wow. What are we doing? We think, well,

it's just a simply a message we preach

to get someone into Christ.

What's Paul doing here? He's reminding

us that the gospel is not merely the

entrance into the life of Christ. It is

the foundation of the Christian life.

Look at this.

It is the message we what receive.

It's the truth in which we stand,

by which we are saved.

Now, look at this next part. Y'all

ready? I like putting things in boxes.

Y'all know that, right? I'm going to use

a circle this time. If If you hold fast

that word,

there it is. Y'all see how that all

fits? You said, "Well, we just got to

use this to get people INTO CHRIST." NO,

THIS IS the Christian life.

This is it.

It's all encompassing. And Paul goes on

to state the gospel plainly. Look at

this in verses three and four. For I

deliver to you first of all that which I

also received, that Christ died for our

sins according to the scriptures. And

that he was buried and that he rose

again the third day. What's the rest of

it? according to the scriptures. Y'all

remember prophecy series, right?

Yep. It was all there, wasn't it? Told

many, many moons ago, as we would say,

friends, that's the gospel. Christ died.

Christ was buried. Christ rose again. He

did not merely die as well, a good man.

He died for our sins. Isaiah 53, the

suffering savior, talks about that. The

whole chapter is prophesying of Jesus.

Who was Jesus? Who is he today?

1 Peter 2:21- 24. Look at it.

1 Peter 2:21–24

What does that mean for us today?

Peter says, "For this, to this you were

called because Christ also suffered for

us, leaving us an example that you

should follow his steps. who committed

no sin, nor was deceit found in his

mouth, who when he was reviled did not

revile and return. When he suffered, he

did not threaten, but committed himself.

To him who judges righteously, who

himself bore our sins in his own body on

the tree, that we having died to sins

might live for righteousness. By whose

stripes you were healed, friends, what

we're seeing, he was not merely gone

from sight. He was buried.

He did not merely live on in memory. He

rose again.

And Paul says all this happened

according

to the scriptures.

So what he this is not an accident. This

not some unforeseen thing.

This was not history that's just

spinning out of control. This was the

eternal purpose of God unfolding exactly

as he had promised. As I mentioned,

Isaiah foretold the suffering of the

Messiah in Isaiah 53. Even

David, David spoke of the holy one not

seeing corruption. In Psalm 16 and verse

10,

Jesus himself had foretold his death,

burial, and resurrection.

Even using that of Jonah

talking about that

that means the message we preach is not

merely the death of Christ. It is the

death, burial, and resurrection of

Christ.

Paul's saying we're not we're not

preaching a defeated hero.

Paul's saying we're not announcing a

fallen teacher. Paul's saying we're not

we're not clinging to the memory of a

dead reformer.

He says, "We're proclaiming a living

savior."

Let me share something with you. One of

the dangers we face today

is allowing familiar truth

to become ordinary truth. Y'all know

what that means?

It's possible to grow numb.

We've heard the gospel preached. How

many times do you think you've heard the

gospel preached in your life? Older than

me now? Probably a lot, right?

We've heard the gospel message. Is it

possible that we can lose our awe?

Is it possible

that we can lose our wonder? And we sing

about the cross, we speak of the tomb,

we partake of the Lord's supper, and the

majesty of it can begin to fade in our

minds.

Now, I was talking about, you know,

Colorado, going to Colorado from time to

time. We go about every year, go to the

same place every year. I remember when I

first saw a mountain for the first time.

I mean, I've seen them on pictures,

okay? But when you actually go and you

see a mountain and you're standing at

the base of it, it is just

wow. But you know the people in

Colorado,

they wake up,

it's a mountain. They don't even think

about the mountain anymore, right? It's

like a person who who lives by the by

the sea even the ocean. Visitors come

and stand in all we we go to the people

come. I'm going to come to the ocean. We

live next to the Gulf.

We see the waves,

right?

But visitors come and they stand in awe

of of the waves. But the family sees it

every day who lives there and eventually

walks past it without even looking. Why

is that? Because

it's become ordinary.

We do that spiritually whether we

realize it or not. We can become so

accustomed

that we stop marveling at it anymore.

But I'm going to submit to you, we must

never get over the gospel. Paul made it

clear in Galatians 6:14. But God forbid

Galatians 6:14

that I should boast except in the cross

of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the

world has been crucified to me and I to

the world. He says we must never get

over the cross ever.

Paul would tell Ephesians, brother in

Ephesians 1 and verse 7, you don't ever

get over the blood because in him we

have redemption through his blood, the

forgiveness of sins according to the

riches of his grace. You don't get over

that.

You know what else you don't get over?

You don't get over the empty tomb as we

read about Matthew 28:es 5 and 6. You

don't get over that.

Now, this leads us to the next great

truth because if the if the resurrection

changes the the message that we preach,

then it also changes the meaning of the

faith that we profess.

Isn't it true?

Look at verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 15.

Now, if Christ is preached that he has

been raised from the dead, how do some

among you say that there is no

resurrection of the dead?

Now, Paul reasons through some

consequences here

because he says in effect, let us follow

that false teaching no more. Now, I'm

paraphrasing that, okay?

But what he says there in verse 13,

follow it through. He says, "But if

there is no resurrection of the dead,

then Christ is not risen."

And what he's saying, if Christ is not

risen, everything collapses.

Everything.

What's he mean by that? Look at this.

Look at these next few verses. Verse 14.

Look at it. And if Christ is not risen,

what happened to our preaching? What

happened to our teaching? Our preaching

is empty and your faith is also empty.

That's what he's saying, isn't it? Plain

and simple.

Look what he says in verses 15 and 16.

Yes. And we are found false witnesses of

God because we have testified of God

that he raised up Christ whom he did not

raise up. If in fact the dead do not

rise. For if the dead do not rise, then

Christ is not risen. He's saying we as

apostles

who have seen the risen Christ,

if that be the case that that he had not

risen as you're saying there's no

resurrection of the dead, then guess

what?

We're false witnesses.

Look at verse 17. He takes to another

level. And if Christ is not risen, your

faith is feudal. YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR

SINS.

Now that hits home, doesn't it?

Because verse 18, he says, "Then also

those who have fallen asleep in Christ

have perished." Oh, wait a second.

When he says fallen asleep, you know

what that means? The people before them

that have died,

those who have fallen asleep in Christ,

they've perished.

If that be the case, then in this life

only, we have hope in Christ, we are of

all men the most pitable.

You look at all those verses, you know

what you just you just saw? What a

devastating conclusion.

Because you remove the resurrection and

Christianity becomes a shell with no

substance at all.

It would be like receiving a a

beautifully wrapped gift box covered in

fine paper and tied with a ribbon and I

say polished on the outside, but when

you open it, there's nothing inside of

it.

And that's just it. Because without the

resurrection, it may be attractive on

the outside, but it's empty on the

inside. Because if Christ is not risen,

what did Paul just lay out for us?

There's no victory in the gospel.

There's no forgiveness in his blood.

There's no hope beyond the grave.

There's no reason for sacrifice. There's

no reason to endure. There's no savior

to trust.

Then what are we doing?

We just took the whole purpose of life.

Even

it's nothing. But Paul does not leave

the church in that darkness. Because

I'll submit to you that in one of the

greatest turning points in all the

Bible, he says this in verse 20. Look at

it. But now Christ is risen from the

dead.

Christ is risen from the dead.

Thanks be to God for that.

There are those today, still today, that

question this.

Skeptics still today are mocking it.

Unbelievers may deny it,

but I'll submit to you, none of their

denial changes

this fact. Christ is risen from the

dead. The tomb is empty because death

could not hold him. As Peter made

abundantly clear in the first gospel

sermon delivered on the day of Pentecost

in Acts 2 and verse 24, the grave

clothes as recorded in John 20:es 6-8,

they were left behind because this was

not mere resuscitation. It was

resurrection.

The stone was rolled away not merely so

Jesus could get out, but so the

witnesses could see in. Isn't that what

we saw in Matthew 28 5 and 6?

You see what Paul did? If you back up in

1 Corinthians 15 and you look at verses

5-8, look what else he did.

He says, "We're not the only ones who

witnessed."

He says he was seen, talking about

Jesus,

then by the 12. After that, he was seen

by over 500 brethren at once, of whom

the greater part remained to the

present. There were more.

Now some had fallen asleep, some had

died. After that he was seen by James

and by all the apostles. Then last of

all he was seen by me also as one as by

one born out of due time.

Paul is saying look this is eyewitness

testimony.

This is not a rumor whispered in secret.

This is historical fact seen by many and

testified openly.

Christianity is not built on fantasy.

It is built on a risen Christ.

So the resurrection changes the meaning

of our faith

because our faith is not built on

sentiment. Our faith is not built on

some kind of wishful thinking that we

may have.

Our faith is built on a living Christ.

Let me show you. Our preaching is not

empty because we preach a living savior.

Our worship is not empty because we

worship a reigning king. No, that's what

Paul says in Ephesians 1:es 20- 23.

Which he worked in Christ when he raised

him from the dead and seated him at his

right hand in the heavenly places far

above all principality and power and

might and dominion in every name that is

named, not only in this age, but also in

that which is to come. And he put all

things under his feet and gave him to be

head over all things to the church,

which is his body, the fullness of him

who fills all in all.

He reigns

sitting at the right hand of the throne

of God.

So our preaching, our worship, but what

about our prayers? They're not empty. We

talked about prayer this morning in our

Bible class because we prayed through a

living high priest. Hebrews 7:25 records

Hebrews 7:25

that

that he talking about Jesus is also able

to save to the uttermost those who come

to God through him since he always lives

to make intercession for them.

And our hope is not empty because it

rest on a living Lord.

First Peter 1:es 3 and 4. Blessed be the

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who according to his abundant mercy has

begotten us again. Look at those words.

To a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead to an inheritance

incredible, undefiled, and that does not

fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

That's what our faith is built on.

I'm asking you about your faith. Is that

what your faith is built on?

Now look what Paul does next.

If the resurrection changes the meaning

of our faith, then it also changes the

way that we actually face death.

Y'all remember in verse 20, we noted a

moment ago when he said, "Christ is

risen, right?" What else did he say in

that passage?

And has become the first fruits of those

who have fallen asleep.

There's a word here that in your studies

you have seen probably a couple of times

and that is the word first fruits. And

it's very rich with meaning because when

you go back and look under the old uh

testament system, the first fruits were

the first part of the harvest presented

to God. And it served as the pledge that

more harvest was to come. And you'll see

that one of the places you'll notice

that in Leviticus chapter 23:es 10 and

11 as well as verse 17. So when Paul

says Christ is the first fruits, he

means the resurrection of Jesus is the

guarantee

that his people will also be raised.

Now

there are other people that were raised

from the dead in the Bible. We know that

uh Lazarus might be one that comes to

our mind in John chap 11. Uh Jarius's

daughter uh is one. Mark chapter 5

Mark 5:35–42

verses 35-42.

You also find the widow's son in Luke 7.

What's the difference though?

They were raised

from the dead

only to die again.

There's a difference.

What we find in the scriptures is that

Jesus rose never to die again. Romans 6

and verse9 is one of those places you'll

find that makes that clear knowing that

Christ having been raised from the dead

dies no more. Death no longer has

dominion over him. Romans 6 and verse 9.

His resurrection was final. It was

victorious and permanent.

that changes the way we face death

ourselves.

How does Paul explain it?

Verse 21 and 22 of 1 Corinthians 15. For

since by man came death, by man also

came the resurrection of the dead. For

as in Adam all die, even so in Christ

all shall be made alive.

And you know in our shadows of substance

series we talked about Adam and Jesus.

Adam who opened the door to death.

Christ opened the door to life.

Now death is still painful. Death is

still an enemy that Paul goes on to talk

about in verse 26 of our text. Death

still brings tears. Jesus himself wept

over the death of Lazarus. Death still

leaves empty places in aching hearts.

But for the Christian, death is not the

end of the story, is it?

Because without Christ, death is a

locked door.

With Christ, death is a doorway.

Without Christ, death is final

separation. There's no hope. With Christ

though, death is a temporary departure.

That's how Paul even explains it in 1

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

Thessalonians chapter 4. Without Christ,

death ends hope. There is no hope. With

Christ, what death does ushers in hope

fulfilled.

That is why Paul could tell the

Thessalonians that we don't sorrow as

those who have no hope. Y'all notice

that verses 13 and 14. He said, 'I don't

want you to be ignorant, brethren,

concerning those who have fallen asleep,

those who died, lest you sorrow as

others who have no hope. For if we

believe that Jesus died and rose again,

even so God will bring with him those

who sleep in Jesus.

He did not say Christians do not sorrow.

He says, "We do not sorrow as those

who have no hope."

Because friends, I'm going to tell you

something. Tears and hope can live in

the same heart.

For the Christian, the grave is not a

prison cell.

It's a waiting place for the

resurrection. That's what the scriptures

make abundantly clear. But Paul says

there's an order. What's the order? You

see Christ the first fruits. Afterward

those who are Christ at his coming

and then comes the end when death itself

will be destroyed. Look at verses 24-

26. Look at then comes the end when he

delivers the kingdom to God the Father.

When he puts an end to all rule and all

authority and power, for he must reign

till he has put all enemies under his

feet, the last enemy that will be

destroyed is dead.

What an amazing promise that is.

Because you know what's going to happen

is we're all going to die. Y'all know

that, right? I think we've come to that

conclusion in our lives. Hebrews 9 and

verse 27 is appointed man once to die

and after this the judgment. Scriptures

make that abundantly clear. We know

that's what's going to happen to us

as we live upon this earth or the Lord

comes again. We're all going to die

until his coming.

That's sad definitely. But for the one

who is in the kingdom, it changes

everything

because the body that is weak will be

raised in power. Isn't that what verse

43 goes on to say? Look at it. 1

1 Corinthians 15:43

Corinthians 15 verse 43. It is sown in

dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is

sown in weakness. It is raised in what?

Power.

The body that is corruptible which we

know that

will be put will put on incorruption.

Look at verse 42. 42. So also is the

resurrection of the dead. The body is

sown incorruption. It is raised in

incorruption.

Look at verse 53.

For this corruptible must put on

incorruptible

and this mortal must put on immortality.

There it is. This mortal will put on

immortality.

That is why the resurrection changes the

way we face death. The cemetery is not

the end of the faithful, friends.

Because he lives, those who are in

Christ shall live also.

Isn't that what John 14 verse 19 tells

John 14:19

us? A little while longer and the world

will see me no more, but you will see

me. Because I live, you will live also.

Friends, with such a truth before us,

then the resurrection does not merely ch

change the way that we die.

It changes the way we live right now.

You know, sometimes people treat the

resurrection as though it only matters

at funerals.

Some will would even say that it's only

a doctrine for cemeteries, grief, and

the end of life.

But Paul shows that the resurrection has

present power.

Because in the section of verses 29 down

through verse 32, Paul is arguing

when he says otherwise, what will they

do who are baptized for the dead if the

dead do not rise at all? Why then are

they baptized for the dead? And why do

we stand in jeopardy every hour? I

affirm by the boasting in you which I

have in Christ Jesus OUR LORD. I DIED

DAILY. If in the manner of men I have

fought with beasts at Ephesus, what

advantage is it to me? If the dead do

not rise, let us eat and drink, for

tomorrow we die.

He says, if there's no resurrection,

then why be baptized? Why face danger?

Why suffer? Why sacrifice? Why endure

persecution?

Why not simply say, "Let us eat and

drink, for tomorrow we die?"

Because if there's no resurrection,

friends, selfish living makes sense. You

know it. If there's no resurrection,

sacrifice is absolutely foolish.

If there's no resurrection, holiness is

unnecessary.

And if there's no resurrection, worldly

pleasure becomes the logical aim of

life.

But what Paul is saying, Christ

being raised from the dead,

everything changes.

Because baptism means union with a

living savior.

Look at Romans 6:es 3-5. Now Romans 6

3-5.

Or do you not know that as many of us as

were baptized into Christ Jesus were

baptized into his death. Therefore, we

were buried with him through baptism

into death, that just as Christ was

raised from the dead by the glory of the

Father, even so we also should walk in

newness of life. For if we have been

united together in the likeness of his

death, certainly we also shall be in the

likeness of, look at it, his

resurrection.

Baptism is not a burial into

hopelessness.

It is a burial with expectation. We rise

because he rose.

What does that mean for us right now?

The resurrection changes the way we live

right now. What that means, the

scriptures make it abundantly clear in 1

Peter 1:es 15 and 16. Holiness matters.

Holiness matters.

What did Peter say in 1 Peter 1:es 15

and 16? But as he who called you as

holy, you also be holy in all your

conduct because it is written, be holy,

for I am holy.

It matters that we are separate and

apart from the world.

You know what else it means? It means

self-denial matters. Jesus in Luke

Luke 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9 and verse 23, he said to them

all, "If anyone desires to come after

me, let him deny himself and take up his

cross daily and follow me." Is that what

the resurrection means to us today?

Right now, we can read the scriptures

and I can go I can give you more than

what I gave you this morning.

But friends, knowing the scriptures and

applying them and living them are two

separate things.

separate.

I can know this Bible from front to

back, but if I don't apply it, it don't

mean anything.

If I truly believe in the resurrection

of Jesus Christ, as there are many that

would claim that today,

show it by the way you live your life

because the scriptures make it clear.

And what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15,

holiness matters, self-denial matters,

and steadfastness matters. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15:58

15 verse 58. Look at it. Laboring.

Laboring. Verse 58. I know that word

right there or something, ain't it?

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be

steadfast and move always abounding in

the work of the Lord, knowing that your

labor is not in vain in the Lord.

It's not in vain in the Lord.

But let me share something else with

you.

Paul gives a warning. Do you know that

warning in 1 Corinthians uh chapter uh

15:es

33 and 34?

He goes on. He says, "Now don't be

deceived.

Evil company corrupts good habits. Awake

to righteousness and do not sin, for

some do not have the knowledge of God. I

speak this to your shame.

Do you ever notice that there's a

connection here?

Wrong doctrine leads to wrong living.

When a man stops believing in

resurrection,

he soon stops living in preparation for

eternity.

Because here's the fact. Belief shapes

behavior.

Mark that one down. Belief shapes

behavior. Because if I truly believe

that Christ rose, then I cannot live

like this world is all that there is.

If I truly believe Christ rose from the

dead, I cannot play with sin. If I truly

believe that Christ rose from the dead,

then I cannot treat worship lightly. If

I truly believe that Christ arose, then

I cannot place earthly things above

eternal things. That's what Colossians 3

talks about. Set your affections on

things above, not on things of this

earth. Friends, we often say he is

risen.

But the harder question is, are we

living like we believe

he is risen?

Look at all these things that I'm

sharing with you this morning.

The resurrection should affect how I

talk. What Ephesians 4 verse 29 say? Oh

Ephesians 4:29

yes,

it should affect what I think about. And

Paul talked about things that are good,

things that are lovely, things of good

report. Think on these things he talks

about there. It should affect what I

pursue.

Seek you first the kingdom of God and

his righteousness, and all these things

shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33.

Matthew 6:33

It should affect how I suffer.

Things that happen here suffer. That's

temporary.

It should affect how I endure as James 1

and verse 12 says, "And friends,

ultimately it should affect how I

prepare for eternity.

One who believes in the resurrection

cannot be comfortable living chain to

this world.

It's It's like a traveler who has a

ticket in his hand and a destination's

ahead of him, but instead of preparing

for their departure, they just sit down

in the dirt by the tracks and starts

building as if he intends to stay

forever.

Sounds silly, doesn't it?

Then what good's the ticket?

But that's the way people live

spiritually

because we we can become so attached to

this world

that we live

careless

about the world to come.

The resurrection changes the way we live

because it lifts our eyes higher. Isn't

that what Paul was expressing and

emphasizing in 1 Corinthians 15?

Let me end with this.

Paul's argument presses us to this great

climax that the resurrection does not

merely change our message, our faith,

our death, our life. It changes the way

we actually see Jesus himself.

You see, there's a fear beneath many

other fears. And again, we talk about it

briefly, and that's the fear of death.

But Hebrews 2 talks about of those who

through fear of death were all their

lifetimes subject to bondage. People may

hide it, hide behind activity, ambition,

pleasure or distraction. They might hide

it in such a way, but the fear is there.

But when we think about Jesus who walked

straight into death and came out

victorious

that that's why the the raising of

Lazarus is so powerful in Luke 11 verse

Luke 11:25

25 Jesus said to Martha look listen this

is what he said I am the resurrection

and the life he who believes in me

though he may die he shall live

and then in that same chapter Jesus

stood before the tomb of Lazarus and

called Lazarus forth. Look at verse 43

and 44. Now when he had said these

things, he cried with a loud voice,

"Lazarus, come forth." And he who had

died came out bound hand and foot with

grave clothes, and his face was wrapped

with a cloth. Jesus said to him, "Loose

him and let him go."

What does that passage prove to us?

Jesus did not merely claim to be the

resurrection and the life. He

demonstrated his power over death.

That miracle was a sign pointing to

something even greater.

What was that?

His own resurrection and the hope of all

who believe in him. Because when Jesus

said, "I am the resurrection and the

life,"

he was not speaking empty comfort. He

was speaking divine certainty

because the resurrection declares who

Jesus is. He's not merely a teacher,

friends. He's not merely a moral example

that we admire. He's not merely a

historical figure.

He is the son of the living God

declared with power by the resurrection

from the dead. He is Lord. He is the

Christ. He is the resurrection of the

life. And my friends, the world may

offer philosophies. They may offer

systems and leaders and human wisdom,

but only Jesus Christ himself conquered

the grave.

And only Jesus can say, "Because I live,

you will live also."

So the resurrection changes the way we

see Christ. He is not merely someone to

admire.

He is the risen Lord to obey.

I certainly appreciate your kind

attention this morning as I had a lot to

cover and there's certainly more that 1

Corinthians 15 shares with us that I do

not have the time to get into.

But I hope that the point has been made

in this lesson

because I come right back to the title.

Title of this lesson that I chose was

the resurrection changes everything.

It changes the message we preach. It

changes the meaning of our faith. It

changes the way we face death. It

changes the way we live right now. And

it changes the way we see Jesus.

The tomb is still empty.

Still empty after all the attacks on

unbelief.

Still empty after all the mockery of

skeptics.

Still empty after the passing of

centuries.

Still empty through empires that have

risen and fallen.

Still empty. Though critics have written

their books and doubters have made their

arguments,

that tomb is still empty because Jesus

Christ is alive.

And because he is alive, the gospel is

still true. Faith is still meaningful.

Hope is still alive. Death is still

defeated in Christ. And heaven is still

real.

So the question is not whether the tomb

is empty.

Heaven has already answered that for us.

The question is whether your heart is

empty of the risen savior.

John 11 26 and whoever lives and

believes in me shall never die. Do you

believe this?

That question rest upon your heart right

now. I'm asking you from the word of

God.

Do you believe this?

Not merely as a fact to acknowledge on

this Sunday morning,

but as a truth to obey,

not merely as a doctrine to discuss with

others, but as the foundation of your

life today.

Not merely as a message for one Sunday,

but as a hope of every day that you

live.

Because friends, if you believe that

Jesus Christ is the son of the living

God, then you give him your life.

There are people

numbers

that know

about the resurrection.

And they can know God's plan of

salvation is presented every Sunday

morning and every Sunday evening and

every Wednesday night.

They can know this,

but it hasn't changed

the way that they live. Hasn't changed

them submitting to it.

It's just simple acknowledgement.

I'm saying if you really believe that

Jesus Christ is son living God, if you

believe it,

will you act upon it? Will you do

something with it?

Will you repent of your sins? Will you

confess his name before men? Will you be

buried with him in baptism for the

remission of sins as we saw in Romans 6

3 and 4? Will you rise to walk in

newness of life as that passage says?

Will you live with that hope of eternal

life within you every day that you live

serving the King of all kings, the Lord

of all lords?

I hope that you'll make that decision

today because all things stand ready.

You just have to come.

If you have wandered

from him, you can come home to the one

who conquered death. If you're weary,

you can anchor your soul again in the

risen Christ. If you're struggling, you

remember that because he lives, there is

hope beyond the grave and strength for

the present hour. Because friends, the

resurrection changes everything.

And life, real life, eternal life,

victorious life is only found in Jesus

Christ.

What a wonderful song that we have for

our song of encouragement.

You seek Jesus who was crucified. He's

not here for he is risen. Are you

serving a risen savior?

If you're subject to the invitation

called, won't you come as we stand and

sing the song that's been selected?